Machine for murning storage battery plates from horizontal to vertical positions



July 2v, 1935. Y E, w sMrrH 2,006,844

MACHINE EOR TURNING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES I f FROM HORIZONTAL TO VERTICAL POSITIONS Filed Nov. s, 1952 4 sheets-sheet 1 I h//r//fssx l:

A, W @RWM July 2, 1935. E W, `$M|TH 2,006,844

MACHINE FOR TURNING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES FROM HORIZONTAL To VERTICAL POSITIONS v Filed NOV. 3, 1932 4`ShtSShet 2 E. W. SMITH MACHINE FOR TURNING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES July 2, 1935.

4 FROM HORIZONTAL TO VERTICAL POSITIONS.

4 Sheets-Sheet Z5 Filed` Nov. 3, 1932 July 2, 1935- E; w. SMITH 2,006,844

MACHINE FOR TURNING STORAGE BATTERY PLATES FROM HORIZONTAL TO VERTICAL POSITIONS yiTerS.'enteci july 2, 1935 rfi-fion Zi HORIZONTAL Edward W. Smith, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner to The Electric Storage Battery Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 3, 1932, Serial No. 641,036

t3 liaims. v(Cl. 198-21) ratus for setting the paste of newly pasted storage battery plates led by Clarence A. Hall and myself.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an eicient, reliable and satisfactory machine for continuously receiving plates in horizontal position, turning them into vertical position, and delivering them in face to face relation at substantially right angles to the direction in which they were received.

The invention consists in the improvements to be presently described and finally claimed.

In the following description reference will be made to accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which Figure l is a front view of the machine with parts omitted.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the ine 3,-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is an end view.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view illustrating parts shown in Fig. 2 and taken on the line 5 5.

Fig. 6 is a View partly in section of a clutch mechanism hereinafter described, and

Fig. 7 is a top or plan View of Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 2, the plates are delivered onto the twin conveyor chains I4 of the lifting device. spaced apart so as to support the plates by their edges, only. The conveyors I4 operate between sprocket,wheels of which one pair l-a are shown, see Figs. 2 and 4, and from I5a on, the plates are supported on rails 75. See Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The conveyors I4 advance the plates until they are supported on the rails 15 and during the latter portion of its travel each plate engages with the pivoted trigger 29, Fig. 2, pivoted at 30 and returned to position, after tripping, by spring 3|. This trigger, acting through rod 32 and levers, atuates a clutch 33 which in turn causes the sprocket chain I6 to move forward,

and by -means of one or the other lug iii or i8-a, Fig. 3, to engage with the plate and push it forward on the rails I5 until comes to a definite predetermined position with the front edge of the plate engaging with a rotating brush 26, Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring now especially to Figs. 2 and 1, a plate P is shown in dotted lines resting upon rails 'l5 and either at or approaching its nal position thereon. Each of the rails 'l5 is provided with two notched openings 16, Fig. 2, and through each of these notches runs a conveyor chain, i9, on the front of the gure, and 2i, on

The conveyors i4 consist of two chains the back. Sprocket chain i9 is guided by a curved housing or guide so as to move in a circular path, parallel to sprocket chain 2|; and works between two sprocket wheels 2c, the upper one of which acts as driver. These conveyor chains are so spaced that their projecting teeth are separated by a space slightly less than the width of the plate, and the mechanism which operates them, tofbe described shortly, is such as to bring them periodically to rest, while a plate is being slid along the rails 15, in such position that their projecting teeth do not contact with the plate edges. As soon, however, as a plate has come to rest on rails 'l5 the sprocketA chains I9 and 2| are caused to move forward, thus lifting the plate which has just been delivered, by the space of one tooth and coming to rest in position to allow another plate to enter between the next set of sprocket teeth. As successive plates are delivered, therefore to the rails l5, each one is raised one tooth a time and with an angular motion which, by the time the plate has reached its upper limit, amounts to 90, thus causing the plate to assume a vertical position, as shown at F1, Fig. l. It is to be noted that each of the sprocket chains I9 and 2| is in duplicate, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the plate rests at four points, two on the bottom edge and two.at the upper edge.

Inasmuch as the plate is being subject to angular motion at the time it is lifted, the outside edge resting on the chain I9 is necessarily moving faster than the inside edge resting on the chain 2|, this difference in speed also necessitating the sprocket tooth pitch being greater on the chain I9 than on chain 2t. Since it is required to hold the plates in the vertical position from the point F1 onward, a third pair of sprocket chains 2t, having the same pitch as chains 2| is provided, driven by sprocket wheels 24-a, Fig. which so cooperate withl sprocket chain i9 that as .the plates leave I9 they are simultaneously picked up by 24. From this point on, the plates with their lower edges resting on lsprocket chain steadied by sprocket chain are carried on in vertical side by side arrangement until they come to the end of the horizontal portion of the chains 24 and Sprocket chains 2| and 2t may be extended to whatever length necessary, being supported, of course, by suitable rails which prevent them from sagging. At the end of these conveyor belts there are'placed suitable rails 25 on which the plates are deposited still in vertical position and suspended from their lugs.

It is evident that for the successful operation of these various conveyors they must operate in proper unison, and mechanisms by which this is 'accomplished will now be described in and upper edges more detail. The conveyor chains I4 are continually in motion, so as to receive plates as fast as they are placed upon them. The conveyor chain I6, however, which may be conveniently designated as -a booster, is normally at rest with one of its dogs I3 in the position where `it.has delivered the last one of its plates upon rails 15, and the other dog IB-c out of the way, so as not to interfere with the next plate being delivered over the booster. The booster chain, by meansl of its sprocket wheel I1, left hand in Fig. 2, and the train of gear wheels 35, is operated from shaft 34, and the gear ratios are such that one revolution of shaft 34 will exactly correspond to a motion of thedogs between the positions I3-a and I3. Shaft 34 is controlled in its rotation by means of two clutches 33 and .40 which in turn are operated by chains and sprocket wheels 36 and 33, both the latter mounted upon a shaft 31 which latter shaft is kept in continuous motion by means of a motor or other drive and a chain running over sprocket wheel 33. The sprocket ratios are such that clutch 46 is running'at a materially lower speed than clutch 33 for reasons which will be presently described. Both of the clutches 33 and 4I! are of the self-releasing type, such as are frequently used on punch presses wherein the act of tripping the trigger causes the shaft to make a single revolution and come to rest, until the trigger is again operated. Referring especially to Figs. 5 and 2, the clutch 33 is controlled by means of the ,trigger 23, rod 32 and latch 42 which engages with the tongue 4I pivoted at 4Ia. When the trigger 23 is operated by an oncoming plate, the latch 42 pivoted about a vertical axis is moved out of engagement with tongue 4| allowing the latter to engage in teeth of the continually'rotating` toothed wheel 11 which thereupon causes clutch 33 to revolve until tongue 4| again engages with latch 42 so as to throw tongue 4Iv out ofengagement with atooth on wheel 11. At this point the shaft 34 would come to rest were it not for the. second clutch 40 operating at a lower speed than 33. vThis clutch also is provided with a pivotedtongue 45 and Aratchetwheel 13 Fig. I5, and the relative angular position of the release latches 42 and 43 is -such that at the time when tongue 4| has been thrown out of engagement, tongue 45 is allowed to remain in engagement with its ratchet teeth until the shaft 34 has turned at the lower speed a numberof degrees farther. It is finally allowed to come to rest -when the tongue 45 engages with a projectingr part of the fixed latch 43 where it remains at rest until trigger 23 is again operated. The

effect of these two clutches 33 and 46 is to give the booster chain a rapid motion soas to advanceV the ,plateY quickly until near its final position, then allow it to slow down and advance slowly to its ultimate position, thus bringing the plate to rest accurately and with a minimum of shock at thetime of Astoppage when the forward lug of the plate engages with flexible stop 226, Fig. 3.

Referring again to Figures 4 and 2, it is to be noted that there is a cam wheel 46 which is fastened directly to shaft 34 and provided with a notch'41. Adjacent to the vnotch 41 isa second trigger or cam. follower 43 pivoted at 50 and spring pressed at 43 and communicating through rod 5I, pivotal lever 63, and link 62 to another clutch mechanism designated by 56 md 51. The continually moving member of tongue or dog of the clutch is pressed by spring 65 and is pivoted at 53-a and is designated at 53, see Figs. 6 and '1, and is thrown out of engagement by the twin latches 66 and 6I, having projecting operating parts 64, both of which operate simultaneously from cam lever 43.

As an additional detail or refinement, clutch 51 is provided with a non-chattering mechanism shown especially in Fig. 5. Clutches of this general nature, particularly when run at low speed, are subject to chattering when in the released position, due to the fact that the driven member may move just barely far enough to cause., the tongue to disengage with the ratchet teeth, but not far enough to clear the ratchet teeth entirely. In the case illustrated, the driven member of the clutch is provided with a double cam 61 and'a lever 63 operated upon by a spring 63 and engaging therewith in such manner that after the tongue has been released from engagement with the ratchet teeth, the lever 63 acting on the inclined cam faces, moves the clutch member slightly further,v and thus throws the tongue in suchposition that it entirely clears the teeth on driven member 56.

Sprocket pinion 1|) Fig. 4 engaging with gear 1| communicates motion to the gear wheels 13 and 14 which in turn, with their gears, operate respectively the two sprocket wheels 24a that run sprocket chain 24 and sprocket wheels 20 which operate the conveyor chains I3. Also through means of sprocket wheel 306 sprocket chains 36| and 3III-a, Figs. 1 and 4, the motion of gear wheel 1I is communicated to sprocket wheels 22 which carry sprocket chains 2|. Byl

suitable gear ratios, the driven clutch member 56 communicates to each of the three chains I3, 20 and 24 a forward movement of exactly one tooth each time the trigger 43 is tripped.` y In the illustrations it should be noted the various gear ratios are such that a half revolu. tion" of shaft 55 corresponds to a forward motion of one pitch of the Avarious sprocket chains I9, 2| and 24. It is for this reason that clutch` 56-51 is provided with two releaseY latches, 63

trigger 43 the notch 41 allowing trigger 43 to drop, which, in turn, releases one or the other latches 63 and 6|, causing clutch 51 to make a half revolution, and thus advancing by one tooth all theplates already delivered to the y chains I3, 2| and 24, and leaving sprocket teeth ready for the reception of the next plate to be delivered along' rails 15.

It may be noted that in order to attain proper F speed, thetiming of cam wheel 46 is such as to set in motion the various sprocket wheels and chains I3 and 2|, etc., before the plate has come to rest against the spring stop' 226 and in order to avoid the plate striking against one of the sprocket pins on either chain I9 or 2| during this motion, the rails 'l5 are inclined slightly upwards, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4.

When the plates are delivered from the pasting machine, the forward edge always carries with it a considerable amount of paste on the front edge which would be very objectionable in the subsequent handling and nal assembling of the plate. The rotating brush 2E is provided for removing this adhering paste which it does by virtue of the fact that itis kept in continual rotation and at such position, as shown in Figs. 2 and a, that the front edge of the plate engages with it for a moment as it comes to rest on rails I5. The brush is mounted on adjustable brackets 2l and is shaped so as to correspond with the prole of the lug and front edge of the plate, and it is thus suited to free the whole front edge of the plate from any adhering paste.

When the plates finally reach the end of the sprocket chains 2l and 243, they are released by the chains anddeposited with their lugs resting upon suitable rails or bars 25. At this point the space between adjacent plates is naturally closed up and theV plates become piled or stacked upon the rails with their surfaces vtouching each other, whence they may be manually removed in bulk and placed in suitable storage receptacles.

It will be readily understood that this mechanism is adapted to receive freshly pasted plates as delivered in horizontal position by a pasting machine, and to stack them closely in vertical position so they may be removed in bulk; also that it is adapted to perform this function in conjunction with a continuous setting or drying operation, which may take place either before or after the plates have been raised to the vertical position.

To avoid unnecessary verbiage in reciting the claims, I propose to speak of the various sprocket chains i9, 2l and 2d the singular, although actually as constructed each of these chains exist in pairs. Also, I have spoken of the mechanism throughout as applying to the handling of storage battery plates, since it was for that purpose especially designed. I do not, however, wish to limit its use to the handling of storage battery plates, only, as it is applicable to the lifting of other platelike pieces.l

I claim:

l. A machine of the type recited consisting of two cooperating sprocket chains yhaving teeth projecting toward each other to maintain articles carried thereby in spaced relation, a sprocket around which one chain operates in a convex position, a curved track concentric with the first-mentioned chain and around which the other chain operates; the two chains together adapted. to receive plates in a horizontal position and to lift and turn plates until they have attained a vertical position, and a horizontal run of conveyor chains adapted to convey said plates in horizontal direction.

2. A machine of the type recited having three cooperating sprocket chains, one of which operates in a circular arc, and along a straight run; another of which operates lin a circular arc concentric with that of the rst and at a substantially equal rotary speed, and the third of which operates in a straight run parallel to that of the first chain, the whole yadapted to receive vplates ina horizontal position and, said chains having opposed co-ordinating projecting pins, to raise said plates and deliver them in approximately vertical face to face relation and in horizontal motion.

3. A machine of the type recited having rails suited to receive storage battery plates in horizontal position, means for delivering the plates along said rails, resting upon their edges; a booster for advancing the plates along said rails; opposed cooperating sprocket chains working in concentric arcs adapted to lift plates from said rails into a vertical position; and control mechanism, adapted to be operated by each plate as received, and causingbooster to advance said plate, and sprocket chains to lift it, in proper unison as described. 4

4. In a machine of class specied, a booster, an automatic stop clutch for setting the booster in motion, a trigger which is operated by an advancing plate and which is adapted to control the clutch, a pair of concentric chains adapted to receive plates delivered by said booster and an automatic stop clutch operated by and in conjunction with said booster and adapted to cause said concentric chains to advance by stages of yone tooth at a time to raise and deliver plate into a vertical position.

5. In a machine of the class recited a mechanism consisting of a pair of rails, a booster arranged to deliver plates as received by it in the horizontal position along the pair of rails, two

cooperating clutches of automatic release type, the first of which causes relatively rapid, the second relatively slow motion, and adapted to operate the booster, and two cooperating concentric chains to which the booster delivers the plates.

6. In a machine of the type described, the combination of two horizontal conveyors arranged at different levels and at substantially right angles to each other, delivering rails at the exit of the high level conveyor, rails onto which the low level conveyor delivers, a conveyor operating through notches in the last mentioned rails, means for guiding the last mentioned conveyor in the arc of a circle from the low level to the high level conveyors, and mechanism for operating the said conveyors.

7. In Va machine of the type described a pair of horizontal rails, a conveyor arranged to work intermittently, and to deliver plates onto said rails, a twin conveyor working in a circular arc at right anglesA to and intersecting said rails, a third conveyor disposed in horizontal direction at a diierent level from and at right angles to said iirst conveyor and constituting a continuation of said twin conveyor; terminal rails at.

`clutch adapted to be tripped by said plates, and

mechanism which is in turn set in motion under .the control of said clutch to give said booster a rapid motion, followed by a slow gradual one prior to its again coming to rest. EDWARD W. SMITH. 

